What If
by GarnetSapphire
Summary: What if Aang really died after Azula hit him with lightning? What if, when Katara was trying to heal him, she was given his powers instead by Aang and the previous Avatars and hopes that it would continue the cycle? This is what if. AU Zutara. R/R


Chapter One: A New Beginning

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Not now and not ever.

Note: This is just something that passed through my mind a few days ago and kind of made me think, "Hmmm, What If that really happened?" And in the very boring moments of my summer since then, (which are far too many when I think of how I'm going to be a senior… yes I know I'm a loser) I started toying with that fleeting thought and it morphed and evolved into this… enjoy :)

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Everyone was on Appa's back waiting as Katara tried to heal Aang. They could all smell the scorched flesh and they were hoping for a miracle as Katara worked with the oasis water. They all watched as the water glowed and seeped into his body. And they all watched as it shot back out blinding everyone. As the light subsided, Sokka saw, Toph just knew, Katara lying flat on her back, unconscious, and Aang in the exact spot where he started lifeless.

What was left of their group ended up traveling with the Water Tribe Navy, more specifically, Katara's and Sokka's father, Hakoda. They were given time to grieve for their lost friend but then, they were expected to continue their part in the war effort. After two months time, that is what they did, Sokka, Toph, and Katara, not to mention Momo and Appa, went to search for the next Avatar.

"Okay, we should head towards the Northern Water Tribe," Katara stated while looking out into the ocean. "They are better known for their Waterbenders and they are more likely to produce the next Avatar."

"As much as I agree with Sweetness over there, I think that we should stop at the next town and restock our supplies." Toph mentioned as she was digging through the food sack.

"I second that," Sokka said from the front, seeing as he was the next best flyer. "You guys know how I get when I'm hungry."

Sokka and Katara started looking around hoping to see a city along the Earth Kingdom side of the Ocean. However, the facts stand that while the Earth Kingdom is large, it makes it harder to have connected urban areas. So the group was forced to land in the Fire Nation. They camped out in the woods outside of the town in an area with a lot of tree coverage, but the trees were high enough so that if the need ever arose that they needed an escape route, they could fly out with ease. They weren't expecting any company to attack them and throw them in jail, now that Aang was dead, but old habits die hard.

As the newly formed trio was settling into their sleeping arrangements, sleeping bags for the Water Tribe warriors and a stone tent for the Earthbending master, when they heard a rustle in the leaves behind them. Everyone tensed for a moment, Appa was already hidden by the bushes and the low hanging branches, ready to spring into action if the intruder was a threat, but then relaxed as an old women walked out from the bushed looking startled to see them.

"Oh, why hello my name is Hama, I own the local inn down the mountain in town. Why don't you all come and stay there, it isn't very safe in the forest right now, people from town have been disappearing."

Everyone shared a look, mentally considering the risk involved, when Sokka spoke up for everyone, "Thank you very much, that sounds much better than camping outside, but we don't have very much money, so I'm not sure if we will be able to afford you."

Hama looked surprised for a moment, before laughing and saying, "But of course you would be staying for free, you are all children, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror if I conned kids out of their hard earned money."

And with that Sokka, Katara, and Toph packed up their stuff and followed Hama down the mountain towards their new lodgings. Not thinking for a moment that it would turn out badly.

A/N: If you guys like this story review, I enjoy hearing people's thoughts on my works, otherwise I wouldn't post on a site that involved reader-writer interaction. And if you didn't like it review anyways and tell me why. It won't hurt my feelings, I'm in high school, and I couldn't care less. Oh and again if you did like it, you can thank that fact that my parents are separated and there isn't anything to do at my dad's except for getting on the computer or watching tv. Well, hope you enjoyed.


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